Bottom-dump vessels

ABSTRACT

A bottom-dump vessel having two longitudinal hull sections forming air cases or pontoons hinged together for movement about a longitudinal axis. An intermediate section arranged at least partially in a recess between the two longitudinal hull sections. The intermediate section is hinged with port and starboard hinges to the two longitudinal hull sections.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,918,381

van der Werff Nov. 11, 1975 BOTTOM-DUMP VESSELS 3.688.722 9/197: Hm der wcrrr 114/29 [75] Inventor: Bartele van der Werff, Medemblik,

N th e crldnds Primary liraminer-Duane A. Regcr [73] Assrgnee: A Vuylr & Zonens ScheePS e e Assistant E.\'uminerstuart M. Goldstein J fih md s Attornev, Agent, or Firm-Waters. Schwartz & Nissen Filed: Mar. 27, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 455,282

. [57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Man 9 1973 Netherlands 7304384 A bottom-dump vessel having two longitudinal hull sections forming air, cases or pontoons hinged together [52] US. Cl. 114/29 for movement about-11 longitudinal aXiS- intermediv[51] B63B 35/30 ate section arranged at least partially in a recess be- [58] Field of- Search 114/27-30, tween the two longitudinal hull Swims- Thc interme- 4/36 diate section is hinged with port and starboard hinges to the two longitudinal hull sections. .156] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 Claims, .5 Drawing Figures 3.198.156 8/l965 Kunz [14/29 7 2 l F Fig I i U.S. Patent Nov.11, 1975 Sheet1of2 3,918,381

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II III I rlll U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 S heet20f2 3,918,381

BOTTOM-DUMP. VESSELS This invention relates to a vessel comprising a pair of hull sections forming air cases or pontoons connected together for hinging movement about a longitudinal axis.

This kind of vessels, known by the name of bottomdump vessels, are generally known. A problem in known vessel of this kind is where to accommodate the propulsion, because both longitudinal hull sections are tilted when the vessel is opened. Normally this is solved by housing the propulsion in one of the two hull sections. However, in large vessels this creates the problem that achieving equilibrium athwartships, i.e. in transverse direction, becomes considerably more difficult.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the difficulties and disadvantages referred to.

According to the present invention, there is provided a bottom-dump vessel comprising two longitudinal hull sections forming air cases or pontoons hinged together for movement about a first longitudinal axis, characterized in that the vessel is provided with at least one intermediate hull section, arranged at least in part in a recess between the two longitudinal hull sections at the end thereof.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the intermediate hull section is hinged to each of the hull sections about a second and a third longitudinal axis.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In said drawings,

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the stern of a bottomdump vessel according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side elevation of the stern shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view on the line lIl-IlI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3, but in the open condition of the vessel; and;

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, a vessel 1 comprises two longitudinal hull sections or pontoons 2 and 3, hinged together. At the rear end of the two longitudinal hull sections 2, 3, a large recess is formed, so that they only extend further rearwardly on opposite sides of said recess. Accommodated in said recess is the forward part of a third or intermediate hull section 4. The rear part of the third hull section forms the stenLof the vessel. Hull section 4 serves mainly for accommodating the propulsion and the steering house, but may also accommodate other devices and fuel.

The two longitudinal hull sections 2, 3 are connected together by means of main hinges 6. Third hull section 4 is connected through port hinges 7 to port hull sec tion 2, and through starboard hinges 8 to starboard hull section 3. Port and starboard hinges 7, 8 can also perform a limited transverse movement. This possibility of transverse movement is necessary because the portions of hinges 7, 8 located on the two longitudinal hull sections 2, 3 are displaced relatively to each other during the opening and closing movements of vessel 1, whereby the distance between these portions is varied. It would be sufficient just to give port hinges 7 or starboard hinges 8 such a possibility of limited transverse movement. In the embodiment shown, however, both port hinges 7 and starboard hinges 8 are slidable in the transverse direction. In order to minimize the transverse movement, the hinging axes of port and starboard hinges 7, 8 are disposed relatively to the hinging axis of hinges 6 so that a first plane 9 containing the hinging axes of port and starboard hinges 7, 8 is situated below the hinging axis of hinges 6 in the closed condition of the vessel, and above the hinging axis of hinges 6 in the open condition of the vessel, the angle between said first plane 9 and each plane 10 containing one of the hinging axes of hinges 7, 8 and the hinging axis of hinges 6 is equal to half the angle through which each of the two longitudinal hull sections 2, 3 is rotated to achieve the open condition of the vessel.

As appears from FIGS. 3 and 4, the construction of hinges 7, 8 is such that the transverse movement referred to is not possible either in the fully closed or the fully open condition of the vessel, so that rolling movements of the third hull section 4 relative to the two longitudinal hull sections 2, 3 are impossible. When the vessel is opened, the portions of hinges 7, 8 mounted on hull sections 2, 3 move outwardly relatively to the portions of these hinges mounted on the third hull section 4 until sections 3 and 4 are halfway to the fully open position. As hull sections 3, 4 move further outwardly, the transverse movements of the hinge portions are in the opposite direction until the hinges are again in the initial position. When the vessel is closed, the hinge portions 7 perform the same transverse movements. Owing to this construction, the transverse movements of the hinges are minimized.

It will be understood that the port and/or starboard hinges 7, 8 are not limited to the embodiment described hereinbefore, but may be constructed, for example, as normal hinges connected to members capable of performing a limited transverse movement. such as short rocking arms or bell crank levers. Also, for example, the movability may be provided in the portion of hinges 7, 8 arranged on the third section 4. FIG. 5 shows an embodiment with rocking arms 11. The arms 11 can, at one end, pivot about trunnions 12 and 13. These trunnions are attached to the hull sections 2 and 3, respectively. At their other end, the arms 11 can pivot about trunnions l4 and 15, respectively, which are fixedly secured to hull section 4. Each of the rocking arms 11 has an abutment face 16 with which they abut precisely against hull section 4 in the two end positions of hull sections 2 and 3.

I claim:

1. A bottom-dump vessel comprising two longitudinal hull sections forming pontoons hinged together pivotably about a first longitudinal pivot axis, and at least one intermediate hull section, arranged at least partially in a recess between said two longitudinal hull sections at the end thereof, said longitudinal hull sections being pivotable between open and closed positions of the vessel, means for connecting said intermediate hull section to each of said longitudinal hull sections for hinging movement about a second anda third longitudinal pivot axis, wherein during the pivoting movements of the longitudinal hull sections between open and closed positions of the vessel said first pivot axis passes the plane containing said second and said third pivot axis.

2. A vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first pivot axis passes the plane containing said second and said third pivot axis when the vessel is approximately half-open.

3. A bottom-dump vessel comprising two longitudinal hull sections forming pontoons hinged together pivotably about a first longitudinal pivot axis, and at least one intermediate hull section, arranged at least partially in a recess between said two longitudinal hull sections at the end thereof, said longitudinal hull sections being pivotable between open and closed positions of the vessel; port hinges for connecting said intermediate hull section to said first longitudinal hull section comprising the port hull section; starboard hinges connecting said intermediate hull section to the second longitudinal hull section, said second longitudinal hull section comprising a starboard hull section; means in said port 4 and starboard hinges for transverse movement thereof, said port hinges and said starboard hinges being slidable in transverse direction and located relative to said first longitudinal pivot axis so that a first plane containing the pivot axes of port and starboard hinges is below the first pivot axis in closed position in said vessel, said first plane being above said first pivot axis in open position of said vessel, the angle between said first plane and each plane containing one of the pivot axes of said starboard and port hinges and the first pivot axis being equal to half the angle through which each of said first and second longitudinal hull sections are rotated for open position of the vessel. 

1. A bottom-dump vessel comprising two longitudinal hull sections forming pontoons hinged together pivotably about a first longitudinal pivot axis, and at least one intermediate hull section, arranged at least partially in a recess between said two longitudinal hull sections at the end thereof, said longitudinal hull sections being pivotable between open and closed positions of the vessel, means for connecting said intermediate hull section to each of said longitudinal hull sections for hinging movement about a second and a third longitudinal pivot axis, wherein during the pivoting movements of the longitudinal hull sections between open and closed positions of the vessel said first pivot axis passes the plane containing said second and said third pivot axis.
 2. A vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first pivot axis passes the plane containing said second and said third pivot axis when the vessel is approximately half-open.
 3. A bottom-dump vessel comprising two longitudinal hull sections forming pontoons hinged together pivotably about a first longitudinal pivot axis, and at least one intermediate hull section, arranged at least partially in a recess between said two longitudinal hull sections at the end thereof, said longitudinal hull sections being pivotable between open and closed positions of the vessel; port hinges for connecting said intermediate hull section to said first longitudinal hull section comprising the port hull section; starboard hinges connecting said intermediate hull section to the second longitudinal hull section, said second longitudinal hull section comprising a starboard hull section; means in said port and starboard hinges for transverse movement thereof, said port hinges and said starboard hinges being slidable in transverse direction and located relative to said first longitudinal pivot axis so that a first plane containing the pivot axes of port and starboard hinges is below the first pivot axis in closed position in said vessel, said first plane being above said first pivot axis in open position of said vessel, the angle between said first plane and each plane containing one of the pivot axes of said starboard and port hinges and the first pivot axis being equal to half the angle through which each of said first and second longitudinal hull sections are rotated for open position of the vessel. 